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Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Reagan Statue Unveiled in London

Honoring the 100th birthday of President Ronald Reagan, officials gathered near the U.S. Embassy to unveil a stature in his honor. Dr. Condoleezza Rice was present, representing Nancy Reagan. Margaret Thatcher was too frail to attend.

It was a fitting occasion for the 4th of July. A statue of Ronald Reagan was unveiled at the American Embassy in London yesterday to mark the centenary of the former U.S. president's birth.

Foreign Secretary William Hague and former U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice watched as the 10ft bronze figure was revealed in Grosvenor Square.

Sadly Mr Reagan's great political ally and friend, former prime minister Baroness Thatcher, was unable to attend due to her frailty.

During his term in office, President Obama has seemed determined to muck up our relationship with England, a strong and true ally. One cannot help but remember back to the first days of the new Obama administration and the kerfluffle caused by the returning of the bust of Winston Churchill.

A bust of the former prime minister once voted the greatest Briton in history, which was loaned to George W Bush from the Government's art collection after the September 11 attacks, has now been formally handed back.

The bronze by Sir Jacob Epstein, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds if it were ever sold on the open market, enjoyed pride of place in the Oval Office during President Bush's tenure.

But when British officials offered to let Mr Obama to hang onto the bust for a further four years, the White House said: "Thanks, but no thanks."

The statue of Reagan, placed outside the U.S. embassy, is 10 feet tall. Foreign Secretary Hague, in his remarks at the unveiling, described Reagan as "a true American hero".